The Maple Leafs reached double digits on the schedule, having already established one of the best 10-game starts in franchise history and meeting their coach’s required minimum of six points for this latest five-date segment before puck drop.

But Mike Babcock was at a loss for words for how and why his team took a night off on home ice against the Carolina Hurricanes and were spanked 6-3.

The canny Canes had open looks on Frederik Andersen on 36 shots and not even a series of line changes by Babcock could alter the outcome, with Toronto falling behind by two early in the night and then giving up three more after coming back to tie.

“Nothing. Non-competitive, right from the start to the end,” Babcock grumbled. “I’m frustrated, disappointed. They were organized, we were unorganized, they were prepared, we were unprepared. We couldn’t fix one thing technically tonight because we didn’t work hard enough. I’m not going to (say) anything to make it worse, I’m going to skirt around things and I’ll deal with the team tomorrow.”

Auston Matthews, with a goal and assist, was more willing to tell it like it was.

“We went 7-3, but I don’t think we’re anywhere near where we want to be,” said the young star. “Winning games is nice, but as we get further and further down the season, we’re not going to be able to score five or six to win a game. We have to be able to win tight games 2-1, 1-0, 3-2. We definitely need to clean things up defensively, because our structure is pretty inconsistent right now.

“You have to find something to get you going. We can’t rely on Freddy to make these saves he’s making every night. We have to play well at both ends and that leads to more chances for ourselves. Tonight wasn’t acceptable by our standards.”

Andersen’s robbery of Noah Hanifin on a glove save after Matthews got the Leafs on the board should have been a catalyst. But Elias Lindholm’s tip goal on the next shift made it 3-1. Josh Jooris’ first of two and Victor Rask were ridiculously open on their goals as Carolina pulled away.

Adding to the Leafs’ woes was a faceoff violation call with Tyler Bozak and then Nazem Kadri jumping early, just as the Leafs were starting a power play with the score 4-3.

Andersen, lit up for five or more goals in four of his nine starts, was gritting his teeth through the post-game inquisition. When he came to the bench down 2-0 after goals 33 seconds apart, everyone gave him a wide berth.

“We got outworked pretty much the whole game, it’s that simple. Credit to them, they put on a lot of pressure. I’m surprised we got out-battled like we did. We have to play with pride, learn to win those 2-1 games. We’ve done it before, we have to do that more often.

“I know we have a lot to improve on, but we’ve done some great things, too.”

Babcock was willing to note their league-leading offence and hitting the two segment point requirements, but the promised improvements on Toronto’s side of centre continue to elude him. At times, the Leafs did have the jump required, but playing from behind as they had to against a similar-styled team in Ottawa last week and in beating Los Angeles 3-2 makes it tough.

“I thought we found our legs and got going,” Morgan Rielly said of the middle period. “You feel like you’re one shot away, but we couldn’t close the deal. The breakouts have to be better, the defence have to do a better job going back for pucks and making plays and going from defence to offence. We put the puck on the wall too much and made it tough on the forwards.”

Bozak and Connor Brown were minus-3 on the night as Carolina spoiled Andersen’s 200th National Hockey League game. Babcock began breaking up his lines as the game wore on, partially in response to an injury to fourth-line energy winger Matt Martin. He was hurt in the second period, came back for a bit, but did not get off the bench much after. That at least allowed Babcock to put Mitch Marner back in an offensive role, hoping to spur old linemates Bozak and James van Riemsdyk. Marner also appeared with van Riemsdyk and Patrick Marleau.

Toronto wraps its home stand on Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers before a four-game Western U.S. road trip. Toronto had come back from a 3-1 deficit in a second-period burst, with kudos once more to the fourth line, specifically Martin. His snowplough style, combined with Dominic Moore’s guile and Marner’s speed, combined on Toronto’s second goal, Moore’s third of the year.